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Obama hits green home run in remarks to govs on clean energy and climate

Much like Al Gore’s surprise appearance at Netroots Nation this summer (which seems like eons ago at this point), I am told that President-elect Barack Obama’s taped message to the Bi-Partisan Governor’s Global Climate Summit was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation. President-elect Obama’s remarks should quiet any remaining suspicions that his campaign […]

North-South deal has states cooperating on rainforest protection

The major announcement at the first day of the Governors’ Global Climate Summit was that the states of California, Illinois and Wisconsin, along with six states in Brazil and Indonesia, have agreed create a joint program for protecting and restoring tropical forests in the interest of curbing climate change. The “memorandum of understanding” (MOU) commits […]

The whopper of a conference starts today

This year’s Greenbuild Expo kicks off today, and I’m … not there. But I will be later this week! It looks to be both inspiring and overwhelming — check out the official program for an eye-blurring good time. In advance of the event, the U.S. Green Building Council put out the word that it expects […]

Union of Concerned Scientists offers tip to buy most energy-efficient TV

If you watch TV, then you know that the country will switch to High-Definition TV sometime in February. Those with old-school cathode ray tubes may be tempted to use this milestone to “upgrade” to a flat-screen. If that describes you or someone you know, then this Greentip from the Union of Concerned Scientists may be […]

Monsanto’s man in the Clinton admin joins the transition team, and more

Update [2008-11-20 5:47:7 by Tom Philpott]: Correction: Jill Richardson of La Vida Locavore pointed me to an error in the original post. About former Monsanto vice-president and FDA official Michael R. Taylor, I had written that “He was particularly useful in the effort to prevent abstaining dairies from advertising their milk as rBGH-free.” Not so, […]

EPA pushes ahead with weaker clean-air rules near national parks

The U.S. EPA is continuing its push to weaken clean-air rules near national parks before President Bush leaves office, despite the objection of national-park advocates and many of the agency’s own administrators, according to The Washington Post. The rule revision would change the way air pollution is measured near national parks, allowing large pollution spikes […]

Obama poised to tap Eric Holder at attorney general; info on his enviro record is slim

Eric Holder. The Obama team is poised to pick Eric Holder to serve as U.S. attorney general. In 1988, President Reagan nominated Holder to become an associate judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; he served in that capacity for five years. In 1993, President Clinton nominated Holder to serve as the […]

Governors’ Summit videos

Just FYI, the sessions at the Governors’ Climate Summit Kate and I are attending are all being recorded and are available online. One thing I’ve learned so far: No matter how important carbon measurement and tracking and inventories are, they cannot be rendered interesting on a panel. Kudos for the effort, though!

New ‘2012’ film trailer hints at eco-disaster themes

The trailer for the film 2012 — due out next summer from the director of The Day After Tomorrow — has hit the interwebs. It appears that the film may have some eco-disaster themes, but the plot details are pretty vague at this point. I do know the premise is based on the belief that […]

Sen. Ted Stevens officially loses reelection bid

Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens, the longest-serving Republican in the Senate and a recently convicted felon, has officially lost his reelection bid to Democrat Mark Begich. Stevens has long been a thorn in the side to environmentalists, most notably for leading the charge to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.